London Tenants Federation exposes affordable housing ‘con’

Less than 5,000 homes for social rent were delivered across the capital last year, according to the London Tenants Federation (LTF).

The LTF’s analysis of housing delivery in London claims an additional 16,000 social-rented homes should have been delivered to meet evidenced need.

According to the Federation, the figure of 4,625 new social homes is only 43% of the current London Plan target; only 22% of actual need and only 19% of the total homes delivered in the capital.

The figures show that only 18% of the evidenced needed social housing in Tower Hamlets were delivered in 2009 – 2010.

The Federation also pointed out that around half of homes deemed to be ‘affordable’ are not to a large majority of people in London.

East London delivered the fewest as a sub-region, meeting only 23% of its London Plan target.

East London also delivered a higher percentages of intermediate housing than any of London’s sub-regions; 60% of the affordable homes delivered there and double the London Plan target.

The current London Plan’s social-rented homes target was set by the previous London Mayor, Ken Livingstone at 35% of the total 30,500 annual target for all types of housing delivered in London. Actual need was assessed as requiring 58% of new homes to be social-rented, if need being met over a 10 year period. The same assessment found only an additional 7% who could not afford market housing, were able to meet the cost of intermediate housing.

The table below sets out LTF’s analysis on the delivery of social-rented homes in the East London Sub Region in 2009/10. It contains information relating to the borough and sub-region (as defined in the Draft Replacement London Plan). The detail on housing delivery is taken from the February 2011 Annual Monitoring Report of the London Plan. The figures take into account demolitions as well as building of homes, hence the minus figures in some boroughs. (Scroll down for full explanation)

Social-rented housing delivery 2009/10 (East London Sub Region)

London Borough

(A) London Plan total housing target 2009-10

B) London Plan social rented target

(C) Evidenced social rented housing need

(D) Social housing delivered

(E) % of London Plan social rented homes target delivered

(F) % of evidenced need delivered

(G) % of the total homes built

Barking & Dagenham

1,190

417

809

-1

0%

0%

0%

*
Bexley

345

121

237

160

133%

68%

45%

Greenwich

2010

704

1367

-15

-2%

-1%

-2.7%

Hackney

1085

380

738

334

88%

45%

21%

Havering

535

187

364

30

16%

8%

7%

Lewisham

975

341

663

87

25%

13%

11%

Newham

3510

1229

2387

227

18%

10%

15%

Redbridge

905

317

615

91

29%

15%

10%

Tower Hamlets

3105

1103

2142

379

34%

18%

15%

Waltham Forest

665

233

452

-139

-60%

-31%

-98%

East London Total

14370

5030

9772

1153

23%

12%

13%

Column A sets out the London Plan’s target for homes (of all types, social, intermediate and market) that should have been delivered in 2009/10. This figure is agreed between boroughs and the London Mayor’s office.

Column B sets out the current London Plan target for social-rented homes (at 35% of the Plan’s total target for homes of all types).

Column C sets out the amount of social-rented homes that should have been delivered in order to meet to evidenced need in London (at 68%) – from the Greater London 2008 Housing Strategic Market Assessment (HSMA). It takes into account some 66,700 households, including homeless families, who it was assumed would continue to be housed in private sector leased housing and other private sector homes, covered by housing benefit and which is now unlikely to be the case with housing benefit changes.

Column D sets out the actual amount of social- rented housing that were delivered in 2009/10.

Column E sets out the percentage of the social- rented housing target that was delivered.

Column F sets out the percentage of evidenced, or actual need for social-rented delivered.

Column G sets out social-rented homes deliveredas a percentage of the total number of homes delivered.